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Skeleton Crew RPG Game Events!

Later this month, we’ll be releasing the Skeleton Crew RPG (sign up early here). In honor of that, we’re hosting a slew of free day events. Here at our 3 current games, (although we’ll probably try to squeak one more in).

In the meantime, here’s another sneak peek at the rulebook. This week: Vampires!

Vampire Bloodlines

Thousands of years ago, the original vampire curse mutated into several different strains. These different strains, called Bloodlines, are the foundation for all of the great vampire families. While dozens of unknown strains still exist, here are some of the more prominent houses:

Drakfiul – The House of the Dragon – The Drakfiul can claim the lineage of Dracula himself. They are the “old money” of vampire world, picking new initiates with care.
Strengths: Strong, fast, near impossible to kill (without beheading AND staking).
Weaknesses: Weak in daylight; garlic, entering houses; require grave soil; stakes (esp. holly, oak)
Origin: Eastern Europe, approximately Romania.

Aurelium – House of the Golden God. Centuries ago, the Aurelium recruited new members through religion- now, they prefer to through teen gangs and new age yoga groups. High ranking Aureliums will often travel from city to city, setting up covens like franchises. They are typically rich, but would be considered “new money”- all flash, no class.
Strengths: Reach full strength shortly after being turned; fast; persuasive
Weaknesses: Killed by sunlight and stakes; cannot use powers without turning ugly
Origin: Ancient Greece

DeBuffed – If you couldn’t tell, Aureliums are inspired by the Buffy-verse- these guys make great low level henchman. Perfect for GMs that love throwing in conflicts all throughout an adventure.

Orlok – The House of Secrets – Orlok vampires are not sparkly and seductive- over time, an Orlok deforms into a bald, bat-like monster. Unlike most vampires, they can go years without feasting- when they do feast, they can wipe out a village in a month, like a plague. Orloks are often live alone or in pairs- preferring the company of animals over humans.
Strengths: Transformations; potent magic; slippery; animal mastery.
Weaknesses: Die in sunlight; not very physical.
Origin: Unknown (Possibly Europe)

Jiangshi – The House of Life. They are the hopping vampires of China. Rigor mortis causes the joints to stiffen, so the vampire must hop instead of walk. A Jiangshi bypasses the need for blood, preferring to suck out the victim’s life force directly. Jiangshi share a lot in common with zombies, in that they are smell of rot and are covered in fungus. Jiangshi do not mingle with mortals, but will work in close families, recruiting new human members from their extended human bloodline.
Strengths: Strength; resilience; life draining
Weaknesses: Sunlight; fire; stiff; repelled by mirrors; peach tree wood; passages from the I Ching
Origin: China

Fifillet – The Fifillet are too loosely knit and new to form a “house”- it is unclear if they are actually sired like other bloodlines, or if they are reanimated “naturally,” due to certain conditions, such as being buried in unhallowed ground. Most of the Fifillet act as incubi and succubi, feeding on lovers- however, some are known to feast on children. A few Fifillet are mischievous pranksters, taking on the form of the Will o’ the Wisp to divert travelers; others seek vengeance, or have malicious intentions.
Strengths: Unknown
Weaknesses: Unknown
Origin: Louisiana

Strix – House of the Owl – The Strix are fierce vampires with animal-like tendencies- they are wild hunters, preferring active prey rather than sleeping. While they drink blood, they are also known to eat or tear out the victim’s organs. Luckily, reformed Strix are quite happy drinking animal blood, rather than human. In monstrous form, they bear the claws and wings of owls, and have a second set of teeth behind the first.
Strengths: Fast; fliers; savage attackers; sixth sense (for death)
Weaknesses: Feeding-frenzy; decapitation; weakness to sickles
Origin: Unknown (Possibly Greece)

Talamaur – House of Shadows – The Talamaur are skilled mediums, able to enslave ghosts to do their bidding. Their bodies are normal looking and relatively weak, but they are capable of casting astral projections- these ghostly forms cannot be killed, but “wounding” s projection will bear marks against the Talamaur caster, revealing his nature.
Strengths: Hiding; sixth sense; necromancy; astral projection
Weaknesses: Smoke; fire; sunlight
Origin: South Pacific

Sasabonsam – House of the Bat – An elder Sasabonsam is more bat than human, with powerful wings and shriveled arms. Each Sasabonsam prefers to live alone, but he’ll create a retinue of ogre-like thralls, called Asanbosam, to form his network of bodyguards and spies.
Strengths: Iron-strong teeth & claws; surprise; mighty wings (Sasabonsam); beefy (Asanbosam)
Weakness: weak arms (Sasabonsam); deformed feet
Origin: Western Africa

Lamia – House of the Seven Gates – The Lamia are perhaps the oldest vampire house still standing, dating back to the Babylonian priestesses of Ishtar. They are a matriarchal society- while a few rare males are admitted into the rank, they are deemed unworthy to hold any political power. The Lamia are associated with the snake, and take on reptilian features when aggravate; they must also shed their skin every few months.
Strengths: Speed; seduction; ancient knowledge; transformation
Weaknesses: not fliers; emotionally unstable; decapitation

Kukudhi – A Kukudhi is the ultimate stage for a vampire- it has feed well for enough centuries that it is no longer vulnerable to light and no longer needs to sleep. It will also reach its peak in strength and power, and may hide a massive monster under its normal sized frame. It can still be killed if it is staked and beheaded, and in its large form, is particularly vulnerable to hamstringing.